Windhoek Observer

13199 Posts
De Beers makes sweeping cuts to its elite diamond-buying club

De Beers makes sweeping cuts to its elite diamond-buying club

De Beers has made one of the deepest ever cuts to its group of handpicked diamond buyers as the former monopoly grapples with a prolonged crisis roiling the industry, people with knowledge of the matter said. The company informed its customers, known as sightholders, on Friday whether they’d kept that status in a series of letters and follow-up calls, the people said, asking not to be identified as discussing confidential information. De Beers cut the number of buyers to between 45 and 50 from around 70, they said. De Beers declined to comment. The storied diamond miner has been mulling…
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Middle East conflict threatens SA’s food price outlook

Middle East conflict threatens SA’s food price outlook

Wandile Sihlobo  As the conflict in the Middle East continues, the farming community in South Africa is increasingly worried about rising input costs, particularly fertiliser and fuel. On both, the issue is not that South Africa has a supply constraint but fear about the path ahead. Others are also worried about the impact of these developments on consumer food prices. What follows are broad views on how we should approach these issues. First, we don’t have a fertiliser supply issue for now, but prices are rising due to fears of global supply disruptions. The conflict in the Middle East is…
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City council: Prioritise informal settlements for one year

City council: Prioritise informal settlements for one year

Sem Billy David  Windhoek is a city of sharp contrasts: a two-faced city. On one side, there are modern suburbs with smooth roads, bright streetlights, shopping malls, and neatly planned houses. On the other side, there are vast informal settlements, where thousands of people live in shacks without proper water, toilets, electricity, or safe roads. These two realities stand side by side, often just a few kilometres apart.  Many residents have started calling it a “two-face city". The question is: Does it have to stay this way? And more specifically: can the Windhoek City Council decide to prioritise informal settlements…
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Hengari threatens to sue Govt for N$10m …analysts say this will put police procedures to a test 

Hengari threatens to sue Govt for N$10m …analysts say this will put police procedures to a test 

Justicia Shipena  Former agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister Mac-Albert Hengari has threatened to issue summons against the government if it fails to pay N$10 million in damages over his arrest and detention. In a letter dated 20 March seen by the Windhoek Observer, Hengari’s lawyers, Dr Weder, Kruger & Haikali Incorporated (WKH), acting through senior associate Mekumbu Tjitere, notified the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, inspector general of the Namibian Police Joseph Shikongo and other officials of intended legal action. Hengari was arrested in April 2025. According to the letter, he claims he was arrested…
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Cran turns down Starlink application

Cran turns down Starlink application

Allexer Namundjembo The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has rejected Starlink’s application to operate in Namibia.  The decision was published in the government gazette on Monday.  Starlink, a company under Elon Musk’s SpaceX, had applied for a telecommunications service licence and a spectrum licence to provide satellite internet services. “The authority resolved to decline the award of a class comprehensive telecommunications service licence (ECS and ECNS) for Starlink Internet Services Namibia (Pty) Limited,” Cran stated. Cran also rejected the request for radio frequency allocation.  “The authority resolved to decline the award of a spectrum licence to Starlink Internet Services…
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LPM seeks Canadian probe over oil law 

LPM seeks Canadian probe over oil law 

Allexer Namundjembo Landless People’s Movement (LPM) member of parliament Eneas Emvula has called on Canadian authorities to review the conduct of suspended lawyer Jay Park over alleged conflicts of interest linked to Namibia’s petroleum sector. In a letter addressed to the Law Society of Alberta and copied to Canadian officials, including minister of justice and solicitor general of Alberta Mickey Amery and minister of international trade Mary Ng, Emvula raised concerns about Park’s role in Namibia’s petroleum legislation. The letter alleges that Park, a suspended Canadian lawyer, advised the Namibian government on drafting its petroleum legislation while simultaneously holding multiple…
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Yango works to meet transport rules

Yango works to meet transport rules

Allexer Namundjembo Ride-hailing operator Yango says it is working with Namibian authorities to address regulatory concerns over the legality of its e-hailing services. The company made the remarks during a media engagement with independent fleet partners in Windhoek on Friday.  The session focused on compliance with public passenger transport permit requirements set by the Ministry of Works and Transport. Yango’s head of public policy for Africa, Zanyiwe Asare, said the company supports efforts to regulate the sector.  “We have heard the concerns raised regarding public passenger permits. We want to be clear; Yango supports the formalisation of the e-hailing sector,”…
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Erongo farmers increase herds

Erongo farmers increase herds

Patience Makwele  A government-backed livestock project in the Erongo region is showing early results, with farmers increasing their herds within months of receiving support. More than 1 000 goats were handed over on Monday under Phase II of the Hope Farm Project at Farm Daweb.  The project is a joint initiative between the government and Swakop Uranium and has so far benefited 48 farmers, including 22 women, through organised cooperatives. Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform minister Inge Zaamwani said the project is beginning to show results.  “The progress we are seeing within just one production cycle is a clear…
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New system aims to fix birth registration gaps

New system aims to fix birth registration gaps

Patience Makwele  Namibia is rolling out a digital system to improve birth registration and close gaps that have left some citizens without formal records. The reforms focus on expanding electronic birth and death notification systems to ensure every birth is recorded in real time and linked to civil registration. Health and social services minister Esperance Luvindao said the move marks a shift in how services are delivered.  “This is about ensuring that every Namibian is seen, counted, and able to access the services they are entitled to,” she said at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) learning…
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Oceana’s horse mackerel business delivers improved performance

Oceana’s horse mackerel business delivers improved performance

Chamwe Kaira  Oceana Group says its horse mackerel business delivered improved performance in the five months ended 22 February, despite lower catch rates in Namibia and a stronger rand. The company said the gains were driven by lower fuel costs and higher US dollar sales prices.  This was supported by a better product mix and strong market demand. “Additionally, improved results from the horse mackerel businesses in South Africa and Namibia enhanced the overall performance of the wild-caught seafood segment.” The group expects to release its interim results for the six months ending 31 March 2026 on or about 21…
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