Windhoek Observer

12540 Posts
YOUNG OBSERVER | The glass ceiling: alcohol, anxiety and the price of professional belonging

YOUNG OBSERVER | The glass ceiling: alcohol, anxiety and the price of professional belonging

The Windhoek Friday-night air has a specific scent: a mixture of expensive perfumes, expensive exhaust fumes, and the sharp, yeasty promise of the first cold draught. For the city’s young professionals, the weekend doesn't begin with a sigh of relief, but with a shift in gear.  This is the entry into the Groove Economy - a space where the lines between social leisure and professional survival are increasingly blurred. But beneath the polished Instagram stories and the clinking of premium gin glasses, a quieter, more dangerous trend is emerging. For many young Namibians in their 20s and 30s, groove has…
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Zaamwani urges an end to slow processes in agriculture

Zaamwani urges an end to slow processes in agriculture

Justicia Shipena The minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, Inge Zaamwani, has warned that bureaucratic delays and slow systems are holding back service delivery in agriculture.  She said the sector is central to food security, water access and land reform. She spoke at the annual staff address of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform in Windhoek on Thursday. Zaamwani said the ministry must move away from paper-driven processes and focus on results that improve people’s lives. “Our performance culture has to change towards impact-orientated results. We must eliminate bureaucratic delays and expedite procurement,” she said.…
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NaCC approves Ongava–Epacha merger

NaCC approves Ongava–Epacha merger

Allexer Namundjebo The Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) has approved the merger between Ongava Game Reserve (Pty) Ltd and Epacha Nature Estate (Pty) Ltd.  The approval was published in the government gazette of 20 January 2026. The commission received notification of the proposed transaction on 22 October 2025 and approved it without conditions. The NaCC found that the merger is unlikely to reduce or harm competition in Namibia. The commission noted, however, that it retains the power under section 48(1) of the Act to revoke its approval if it later emerges that the decision was based on materially incorrect or misleading…
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Stimulus sells 7.2% share in Cymot

Stimulus sells 7.2% share in Cymot

Chamwe Kaira Stimulus Investments Limited has sold a 7.2% stake in Cymot Investments (Pty) Ltd and renewed a cautionary notice to shareholders. In a voluntary update issued on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE), the Namibia-incorporated investment holding company said it concluded the transaction to partially exit its investment in Cymot.  The sale increases the shareholding of the Cymot Employee Share Trust, allowing greater ownership by employees within the Cymot Group. Stimulus said the transaction was settled in cash. After the sale, the company retains a 25.1% shareholding in Cymot Investments. The company also advised shareholders that it has entered into…
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Investors show strong appetite for Namibia treasury bills

Investors show strong appetite for Namibia treasury bills

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia (BoN) was scheduled to return to the market on Thursday with a treasury bill auction totalling N$1.51 billion across the 91-, 182-, 273- and 364-day maturities. According to Simonis Storm, system liquidity rose slightly to N$5.3 billion from N$5.2 billion at the previous auction. “This suggests a modest reduction in incremental funding capacity among banks, which could slightly temper participation at the margin. Namibia's position liquidity, however, declined more sharply to N$569 million from N$1 billion previously,” Simonis Storm said. Despite the drop in position liquidity, recent auction results show that overall conditions remain…
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Bannerman advances Etango project with no debt

Bannerman advances Etango project with no debt

Chamwe Kaira Bannerman Energy Ltd ended the quarter to 31 December 2025 with a cash balance of A$89.3 million and liquid assets of about A$12.7 million.  The company has no debt apart from normal creditor balances. Early works spending reached about A$48.5 million, while committed early works contracts total around A$42.1 million. Bannerman said its balance sheet supports a disciplined, stage-gated approach to spending and contract awards.  The company continues to assess funding options for Etango, including project and corporate debt, as well as possible offtake and joint venture arrangements. Azure Capital and Vermilion Partners are advising on the funding…
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Japan plans synthetic diamond plant in US

Japan plans synthetic diamond plant in US

Chamwe Kaira Japan plans to build a synthetic diamond plant in the United States under a memorandum of understanding signed with the United States.  The agreement sets a framework for up to US$550 billion in Japanese strategic investments aimed at strengthening economic and national security ties between the two countries. The move could further weaken Namibia’s natural diamond exports, as the United States is one of the country’s largest markets. The Bank of Namibia has already said that growing competition from synthetic diamonds is pushing down prices for natural stones. Late last year, Debmarine Namibia chief executive officer Willy Mertens…
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Paratus shareholders endorse board decisions

Paratus shareholders endorse board decisions

Staff Writer Paratus Namibia Holdings Limited said shareholders unanimously approved all resolutions tabled at its Annual General Meeting held on 27 January 2025. The meeting was convened in line with the notice issued to shareholders on 4 December 2025. No special resolutions were considered. At the time of the AGM, the company had 98.90 million shares in issue. Shareholders representing 91.84 million shares attended in person or by proxy. This represented about 93% of the total voting shares. Shareholders approved the adoption of the Integrated Annual Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2025, including the annual financial statements.…
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Trustco terminates Legal Shield transaction

Trustco terminates Legal Shield transaction

Staff Writer Trustco Group Holdings Limited has terminated its transaction framework with Legal Shield Holdings Limited after concluding that the conduct of Riskowitz Value Fund LP was incompatible with the framework approved by shareholders. In a market update, Trustco said its board completed a detailed review of the Legal Shield transaction approved by shareholders in December 2024.  The review also considered later disclosures and the actions taken by Riskowitz Value Fund LP after the first tranche of the transaction was implemented. Trustco said shareholders approved the transaction on the clear basis that it would not lead to any direct or…
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Woolworths grows sales despite tough trading

Woolworths grows sales despite tough trading

Staff Writer Woolworths Holdings Limited reported turnover and concession sales growth of 5.4% for the 26 weeks ended 28 December 2025. The growth exceeded inflation and reflected positive performance across all business segments despite tough economic conditions in South Africa and Australia. On a constant currency basis, group turnover and concession sales increased by 6.1%. The company said consumer demand remained resilient across its portfolio. In South Africa, Woolworths recorded above-market turnover and concession sales growth of 6.8%. The food business led performance, with turnover and concession sales rising by 7.0%, or 5.2%, on a comparable-store basis. The retailer reported…
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