Windhoek Observer

11127 Posts
Supreme Court dismisses negligence claim in tender case

Supreme Court dismisses negligence claim in tender case

Allexer Namundjembo The Supreme Court has overturned a High Court ruling that found a Windhoek law firm negligent in handling a municipal contract dispute involving Namibian Electrical Services CC (NES). The case stems from a contract awarded to NES in September 2013 by the City of Windhoek to carry out electrical works at Otjomuise Extension 10 under a FIDIC-based agreement.  The contract required completion within ten months but dragged on for 18 months.  NES blamed delays on the municipality's failure to approve drawings, while the municipality imposed penalties and deducted amounts from payments. Under financial pressure, NES turned to lawyer…
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Electric grid expands to 700 Katima Mulilo households

Electric grid expands to 700 Katima Mulilo households

Allexer Namundjembo Over 700 households in Choto extensions 7 and 8 in Katima Mulilo will soon be connected to electricity as part of new electrification projects in the Zambezi Region. Schools in Old Masokotwani, Kahunikwa, Nsundwa, Ikaba, and Malal Nkanga will also receive power. Deputy prime minister and minister of industries, mines and energy, Natangue Ithete made the announcement on Wednesday during the commissioning of joint electrification projects in Kongola. He said the government remains committed to achieving universal access to electricity by 2040. “The benefits of electricity are clear. Schools need lights and computers, health facilities need power, and…
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Angolan citizen wins Windhoek-West property dispute

Angolan citizen wins Windhoek-West property dispute

Hertta-Maria Amutenja An Angolan citizen, Samuel Dias, has successfully defended his ownership of a Windhoek-West property after the Supreme Court struck with costs an appeal by Windhoek resident Edward Nghitumbwa.  Nghitumbwa had challenged a High Court order that nullified the transfer of the house into his name. The property in dispute is Erf No. 3733, at 4 Pavlov Street, which Dias bought in 2002. In a judgement delivered on Monday, the Supreme Court found that Nghitumbwa used the wrong legal procedure to challenge the High Court’s March 2023 ruling.  The court held that he should have filed a rescission application…
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Diamond cutting prices fall over 40%

Diamond cutting prices fall over 40%

Chamwe Kaira The Producer Price Index (PPI) for production recorded declines in the second quarter, dropping by -3.1% quarter-on-quarter and -2.5% year-on-year. The drop was mainly driven by falling manufacturing prices, which contracted by 9.3% compared to the previous quarter. Statistician general and Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) chief executive officer, Alex Shimuafeni, said the annual decline was mostly influenced by lower prices in the mining and quarrying sector, which fell by 5.1%. The PPI tracks average changes in prices received by domestic producers for goods and services sold locally and abroad. Despite the annual decline, the index for mining and…
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OBSERVER DAILY | Electricity cannot become a luxury for the rich

There was a time, not too long ago, when a twenty-dollar note could buy you enough electricity to last a few days. Today, that same N$20 barely gives you a handful of units that flicker out before you even notice the lights are on. For many Namibians, this is no longer just a minor inconvenience. It is a looming crisis that threatens to turn electricity, one of the most basic necessities of modern life, into a luxury product reserved for the wealthy. On Friday, the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Nored) announced a 3.8% increase in tariffs for the current financial…
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Bond auction exceeds N$3 billion

Bond auction exceeds N$3 billion

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia’s government bond auction on Wednesday recorded bids over  N$3 billion against an initial offer of N$2 billion. The GC35 recorded  the highest demand, with tenders of N$585 million, or 24% of the total. Allocations reached N$312 million, double the initial offer of N$160 million.  The GC40 also drew interest of N$214 million against an offer of N$140 million, but no allocation was made. Across the GC board, N$1.5 billion was offered, yet N$1.7 billion was allocated, resulting in an overallocation. “It is interesting to note that the GC40 also attracted significant interest of N$214…
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Billionaire seeks to acquire Curro 

Billionaire seeks to acquire Curro 

Chamwe Kaira Windhoek Gymnasium, Walvis Bay Gymnasium and Oshana Gymnasium, the three schools jointly owned by Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-listed Curro Holdings Limited, could soon have a new owner. Curro announced to shareholders on the JSE that its board has received a firm intention offer from the Jannie Mouton Trust.  The trust, through Stigting, plans to acquire all issued Curro shares and delist the company from the JSE. Billionaire Jannie Mouton, founder of PSG Group and Capitec, owns the trust and has offered N$7.2 billion for the shares. He established the trust in 2004 to invest in education. Since then,…
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HyIron to source local iron ore for green steel 

HyIron to source local iron ore for green steel 

Chamwe Kaira  HyIron Green Technologies (Pty) Ltd will explore sourcing high-potential iron ore domestically and process it using its established green hydrogen-powered technology under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Broadmind Mining (Pty) Ltd and the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P). The agreement aims to build a sustainable, low-carbon green industrial value chain in Namibia.  It will also strengthen the country’s mineral beneficiation capacity and support its goal of becoming a green industrial hub in Africa. The partnership will focus on Broadmind’s critical mineral assets, including rare-earth elements and iron ore, alongside HyIron’s green direct reduced iron (DRI)…
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ALL THAT THE VICTIMS, OFFENDERS & COMMUNITY NEED IS CLOSURE AND INTEGRATION

ALL THAT THE VICTIMS, OFFENDERS & COMMUNITY NEED IS CLOSURE AND INTEGRATION

"A Call for a Gazetted True & Genuine National Reconciliation Policy" Lazarus Kwedhi The death of Solomon “Jesus” Awala, who was given a state funeral in recognition of his role as a liberation struggle hero, has reignited painful questions about Namibia’s war past. While many honour his military service as a PLAN fighter and former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, others remember his alleged role in the torture and killing of comrades accused of spying in what became known as the Lubango Dungeons. His reputation as the so-called “Butcher of Lubango” has stirred deep anger among survivors and families…
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Nasria pledges N$350 000 to support Brave Warriors

Nasria pledges N$350 000 to support Brave Warriors

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (Nasria) has handed over sponsorships worth N$355 000, including N$100 000 in cash, to the Brave Warriors to support their FIFA World Cup preparations. Nasria marketing and sales executive Ndapona Schleberger said the contribution forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and represents an investment in Namibia’s human capital. “This investment fuels national pride, inspires our youth and supports our athletes as they represent Namibia on the world’s grandest sporting stage. The support we have handed over today represents far more than their monetary value. For the Brave Warriors, it is…
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