Windhoek Observer – Page 165 – Windhoek Observer

06 Apr

Namibia Civil Aviation Authority honoured as Africa’s top regulator

Observer Money

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been named the Best Civil Aviation Authority in Africa at the Aviation Week Africa (AWA) Gala Night, held recently in Livingstone, Zambia. This award recognises the NCAA's role in fostering safe, secure, and efficient air transport across the continent. Toska Sem, the NCAA’s Executive Director, accepted the award from Captain Gabriel Luembe, Director General of the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority. Sem attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of the NCAA team, the guidance of the Board of Directors, support from stakeholders, and strategic direction from the Ministry of Works and…

06 Apr

Namibia shines at Para Championships

Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Namibian athletes delivered strong performances at regional para sports events over the weekend, claiming multiple medals in both triathlon and archery. Paralympic athlete Jerome Rooi took top honours by winning the PTS2 African Triathlon Championship held in South Africa on Saturday. His achievement placed Namibia at the top in his category. Fellow athlete Mateus Angula, competing in only his second triathlon event, secured third place, adding to Namibia’s medal tally. In para archery, Namibian archers also made their mark. De-Villiers Visser and teammate Jan-Lotz du Toit earned a bronze medal in the team category at the Southern African…

06 Apr

GBV, road deaths mark violent weekend

National News

Ester Mbathera The country experienced a wave of violent incidents over the weekend, with reports of gender-based violence (GBV), murder, rape, fatal road accidents, and drownings recorded across multiple regions. In Usakos, six people were allegedly murdered by an 18-year-old boy at the Hakhaseb location. Nampol reported that the suspect entered the house and allegedly first killed an elderly woman and five children with an axe and knob kierrie. He subsequently set their bodies on fire. “Victims are: Elisabeth Naruses (90) female, Fenny Naruses (18) female, Ibra Naruses (6) female, Raunisha Boer (6) female, Rachel Boer (3) female, and Emi…

06 Apr

HUSAB, Rössing mines withstand heavy rains

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjembo As rains continue to cause destruction in large parts of the country, flooding roads and damaging infrastructure, two of the country’s major open-pit uranium mines, HUSAB and Rössing, have remained largely unaffected. Irvinne Simataa, the Executive Vice President of HUSAB Mine, said the mine experienced minimal impacts. According to him, the effects were no different from the usual weather challenges. “There are no significant impacts on our operations. Our mine has always been resilient in responding to the challenges posed by the weather,” he said. Simataa added that the mine's infrastructure, including a well-constructed bridge over major river…

03 Apr

Trump hits Namibia with 21% trade tariffs

Main

CHAMWE KAIRA The United States has imposed a 21% import tariff on Namibian goods, a move expected to affect key exports such as diamonds, uranium, fish, and beef. U.S. President Donald Trump, in his announcement, cited the long-term decline in U.S. manufacturing as justification. “From 1997 to 2024, the United States lost around five million manufacturing jobs and experienced one of the largest drops in manufacturing employment in history,” he said. Namibia joins a list of African countries now facing higher tariffs on exports to the U.S. These include Lesotho at 50%, Madagascar 47%, Mauritius 40%, Botswana 37%, South Africa…

03 Apr

Northern regions face widespread power outages

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Namibia’s northern regions are experiencing widespread power outages, with residents in parts of the Omusati and Oshikoto regions reporting prolonged blackouts that have disrupted daily life and essential services. The entire Onemanya area, along with neighbouring villages such as Uukuvu, Ilambo, and Onadjila, has been without electricity since Wednesday. The outage has affected households, small businesses, and schools, with many residents raising concerns over the lack of communication and response. Getrud Simeon from Onemanya village said the continued blackout was causing mounting frustration. "The power is still off, and it’s becoming frustrating. We depend on electricity for everything.…

03 Apr

Are these just early signs of early days?

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Is it early days? Yours Truly, Ideologically, I cannot but ask but at the same time also answer that it is by no means early days. Simply because for someone determined that it is “business unusual”, it cannot be early days at all. Since the message has been loud and clear, the media seem to be having a field day with the new administration “hitting the ground running” in their respective spaces. What does the new administration mean by "hitting the ground running"? One may be prompted to ask. Given that the president has only had three months…

03 Apr

Namibia policy of reciprocity on visa; A tit for tat or the Vienna convention on diplomatic and consular relations

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE I. Prologue: A tit for tat From April 1, 2025, Namibia started to implement a reciprocal visa policy, requiring nationals from 32 countries, including the US, UK, and Canada, to obtain a visa for entry, as these countries haven’t reciprocated visa-free access for Namibian citizens. In this regard, a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security on Thursday, 27 March 2025, indicated that since the launch of the e-visa on arrival portal and the visa on arrival application form on 3 March 2025, a total of 10 016 visa applications have been successfully…

03 Apr

Gibeon CEO defends staff terminations

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The acting chief executive officer of the Gibeon Village Council (GVC), Pederius Tjihireko, defended the recent termination of staff contracts, saying the decisions were made in line with internal procedures and legal frameworks. Two employees, a debtors’ clerk and an administrative staff member, had their contracts terminated earlier this week. Their departures have raised questions among residents and community activists about what may be causing the wave of staff exits. Tjihireko said the terminations followed provisions set out in the Labour Act and the Local Authorities Act. “Any affected individuals who feel the termination was unjust have the…

03 Apr

Experts warn that IPC risks a weak parliamentary focus

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Political analysts have raised concerns about the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)’s decision not to designate a leader of the official opposition in Parliament. The analysts warned that the move may weaken the party’s coordination and effectiveness in the National Assembly. Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said the absence of a clear leader in Parliament could leave IPC Members of Parliament without guidance. “The party leader usually helps set the direction, and without that leadership, MPs may struggle to stay united or focused on the party's goals. They could also feel lost or unsure about how to act in…