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Niël Terblanché During a consultative meeting held in Walvis Bay, Derek Klazen, Namibia’s Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, addressed the concerns and grievances of fishermen re-employed under the Government Employment Redressing Programme (GERP) on Thursday at Walvis Bay. Klazen, clarified that GERP is not a continuation of the fishermen’s previous jobs at sea but a new employment offer within the fishing supply chain, encompassing catching, freezing, packaging, marketing, and sales of fish and related products. He acknowledged the challenges faced by GERP, including genuine concerns and others influenced by political opportunism and personal interests. He said that many grievances…

Niël Terblanché Namibia and Zimbabwe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming to enhance cooperation and exchange between the two countries' judicial systems. The MoU, signed by Chief Justice Peter Shivute of Namibia and Chief Justice Luke Malaba of Zimbabwe, outlines comprehensive areas of collaboration, including training programmes for judges, court officials, and legal professionals, as well as advancements in court administration and judicial education. The signing ceremony in Windhoek was attended by senior judges, court officials, and legal professionals from both nations and marked a key moment in the judicial history of Namibia and Zimbabwe. Chief Justice Shivute…

Martin Endjala The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) has been criticised for not consulting the leadership of the Kavango East and Kavango West regions on the planned N$7 billion Kavango link project. The project is viewed as a long-term solution to address water scarcity in the country's central regions. The Namibian Cabinet on 27 February gave the green light for the project to go ahead. The Rundu rural constituency councillor, Paulus Mbangu, told the Windhoek Observer this week that NamWater's move to launch a project that will see the Kavango River provide water to the central parts of Namibia is utterly…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The infightings between two factions of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) have forced Joseph Kauandenge to withdraw from the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) internal presidential race. Kauandenge, who is currently the party’s secretary-general, announced his intention to run for the party's top job a few months ago. During a press conference at Parliament on Wednesday, the musician and politician made a U-turn, announcing that he would not run for any position at the party’s upcoming elective congress scheduled for 13 July in Windhoek. “The sad situation in my beloved party is that logic, common sense, and contribution…

Niël Terblanché Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) continue to pose significant public health challenges worldwide, causing 2.5 million deaths each year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The report, published earlier this week, indicates an alarming increase in sexually transmitted diseases, particularly in the Americas and African regions. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director-general said in the report that new data shows sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in most regions, with the highest increases occurring in the Americas and the African regions. “This trend is particularly concerning as it stresses the need for intensified…

Martin Endjala Residents of the Uis district in the Daures constituency in the Erongo region have threatened to shut down the Daure Daman Traditional Authority (TA) after expressing dissatisfaction with the chief’s leadership. Last year, the group petitioned the Traditional Authority and accused the Chief of the Daure Daman Traditional Authority, Sagarias Seibeb, of illegally awarding land and licenses to foreign investors for mining exploration purposes in the constituency behind closed doors. They also accused Seibeb of pushing his own political agenda to please those in his circle at the expense of community members. They have yet to receive a…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A Namibian truck driver who went missing in South Africa earlier this week and was suspected to be a victim of hijacking has been found safe. The South African Police Services from Protea Glen Police Station found Vilho Panduleni Nyati, who drives a truck for Caribu Trading, at a service station in Soweto. The spokesperson of the Namibian Police, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi confirmed the hijacking incident. “This happened when the community in that area alerted the police that there was a man seeking assistance. So, the police alerted the embassy, and that’s how the police attaché got…

Stefanus Nashama A sub-contractor of Refuse Solutions Brick Factory in Walvis Bay dismissed 44 of its employees last Friday after they demanded a salary increase. The director of Refuse Solutions Brick Factory, Zander Coetzee, confirmed this on Thursday. He claims that a subcontractor, who employed the workers, did not live up to Refuse Solutions Brick Factory's expectations. “We decided to terminate the services because the sub-contractor is not delivering good results for the company,” Coetzee said. He explained that the subcontractor occasionally fails to pay its employees and lacks supervision over its staff. Coetzee said his company will have a…