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12 Aug

EU backs Namibia’s efforts to exit FATF grey list

MainFATF grey list

Martin Endjala The European Union Global Facility is assisting Namibia in its efforts to exit the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Grey List through a scoping mission workshop focused on prioritising technical assistance for beneficial ownership compliance. This initiative follows Namibia's request for support from the EU AML/CFT Global Facility to enhance its adherence to international standards in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, specifically in the area of beneficial ownership reporting. This was announced by Ana Beatriz Martins, the EU Ambassador to Namibia on 12 August. “The ultimate goal of this workshop is to see Namibia exit the Financial Action…

11 Aug

Alweendo advocates for idea-driven political messages

MainHarambee Prosperity Plan

Ester Mbathera As the country prepares for elections later this year, the Swapo national leader assigned to the ||Kharas Region, Tom Alweendo, has called for a focus on idea-driven politics rather than personality-driven campaigns. Alweendo made the statement on his social media platform, urging political parties to prioritise problem-solving, inclusivity, and innovation in their campaigns. “Problem-solving approach and idea-driven politics prioritise problem-solving over personal agendas. It focuses on addressing the root causes of problems that, when fixed, create lasting change. Inclusive governance, when politics is centred around ideas, it becomes more inclusive. It allows diverse voices and perspectives to be…

08 Aug

Tax threshold increase brings relief to homeowners

MainIipumbu Shiimi, Income Tax Act 24 of 1981

Martin Endjala Homeowners stand to benefit from the increase in the tax threshold from N$50 000 to N$100 000. This follows the presentation of proposed amendments to the Income Tax Act, 24 of 1981, in the National Assembly by finance minister, Iipumbu Shiimi this week. According to Josef Sheehama, an independent bank researcher and economist, homeowners will only have to pay tax on the amount that exceeds N$100 000. "This is a wise decision, even though government tax revenue will marginally decline. For those looking to purchase a home, this is welcome news because bond costs are expensive," he said.…

07 Aug

Chamber of Mines urge GRN to look beyond taxes and royalties

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Martin Endjala Namibia’s Chamber of Mines president, Zebra Kasete, has urged the government to focus more on skill development rather than solely on benefiting from mining exploration through taxes and royalties. He made these remarks during the opening of the 2024 Mining Expo and Conference in Windhoek on Wednesday. "The government should not be concentrating on the possible revenue from exploration activities but rather focus on skill development to unlock people's potential," he said. He proposed using taxes and fees from the industry to finance and provide people with the necessary skills. According to Kasete, this approach will empower both…

06 Aug

Namibia endorses Access to Information Act

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Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) announced the National Assembly's endorsement of the Access to Information Act (ATI) No. 8 of 2022 Regulations on Tuesday. This puts Namibia among the 140 countries in the world to adopt such a law. In a statement, the minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, said that the ATI Act Regulations reaffirm the country's dedication to ensuring citizens' access to information. “This milestone will soon lead to the implementation of the Act, as noted by Emma Theofelus, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology,” she said. She added that…

05 Aug

Scammers targeting Namibians with bogus parcels

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Martin Endjala and Ester Mbathera Inspector Silas Shipandeni, the Khomas region’s police spokesperson, has cautioned the public to avoid paying or sending money for parcels they have not received. The Windhoek Observer received complaints from members of the public who paid for parcels that never arrived, prompting him to offer advice. “Yes, the police, especially in the Khomas region, receive complaints relating to such scams. The advice to the public is that they should avoid paying or sending money for things or parcels they didn't receive. We understand the logic and the principles of paying a deposit amount for one's…

04 Aug

Rape cases give Omusati police sleepless nights

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Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Omusati region has seen an increase in rape cases, with incidents frequently involving minors and women. The Omusati regional police commander, Commissioner Ismael Basson, said that girl children, minor boys, and women are not safe in the Omusati region. “Hardly a week passes without a rape case being reported, coming from amongst other fathers, uncles, and other close male members that are supposed to be the guardian angels of these minors - boys and girls. This gives me sleepless nights, but I will not relent, the struggle shall continue,” said Basson. A church leader from a village…

01 Aug

Chinese cement firms fined N$5 million for unauthorized merger

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Martin Endjala The Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) has fined four Chinese companies N$5 million for merging without authorisation. This was disclosed on Wednesday by NaCC spokesperson, Dina //Gowases. The companies are Fan Qingmei, Wang Zhongke, Hong Xiang Holdings Ltd., and Whale Rock Cement Pty Ltd., which owns Cheetah Cement. “The Commission’s investigation found that the parties contravened Section 44, read with Sections 51 and 53 of the Competition Act. The investigation focused on a merger between West China Cement Limited and Schwenk Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, which was prohibited in 2020 due to its potential to prevent or lessen competition in…

31 Jul

Okongo Village Council employees grab low-cost houses

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Ester Mbathera and Martin Endjala Officials of the Okongo Village Council have allocated low-cost houses to themselves. Senior council members received the houses intended for low-income families in the village, despite their ineligibility based on salary criteria. Documents obtained by the Windhoek Observer reveal that Maria Shikomba, a senior accountant, Maria Kaluvi, the head of administration, and Abraham Kapembe, the building inspector at the Okongo Village Council, allocated themselves houses under the Build Together National Housing Programme. This programme specifies a maximum salary threshold of N$6 000 for eligibility, which the officials exceed by several degrees. According to the documents,…

30 Jul

City Police enforce public indecency laws

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Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Windhoek City Police have addressed the issue of public indecency following a recent incident involving a young woman. The incident, captured in a video seen by this publication, shows a city police officer instructing the woman, dressed in shorts, a crop top, and a jacket, to return home and change into more appropriate clothing. “You are done dressing like that, or maybe you forgot to cover up properly. From here you are going back home to cover this body. This is public indecency, and it is a by-law offence," said the officer before threatened to fine the…